OSP Keeping Tabs On Arrowed Buck

The large-racked buck is still alive, despite part of an arrow stuck in its neck, and now the Oregon State Police are looking for whomever shot at the animal as they also keep tabs on its health.

THE MULE DEER WITH PART OF AN ARROW IN ITS NECK. (OSP)

An “enhanced” TIP reward of $500 is being offered for information resulting in the arrest of a suspect. The funds come from the Oregon Hunter’s Association State Chapter and the local OHA Bend Chapter.

According to OSP, the incident may have occurred between Nov. 27 and 30th.

CLOSE-UP OF WOUND, ARROW. (OSP)

There was a limited-permit archery season, the November-long late Metolius hunt, that was going on around Crooked River Ranch, where the animal is and is known to haunt, but it’s unclear where the animal was ambushed.

“There is a slim chance he was on public land in the Crooked River National Grasslands, but we doubt it based on what neighbors are saying,” says OSP Sgt. David Pond.

He says that it it is illegal to hunt on the private property within Crooked River Ranch.

For now, the buck is alive and stable.

“We’ve been keeping tabs on it,” says Pond.

Efforts to remove the arrow will be done by Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, according to OSP.

While it now can’t be said with absolute certainty whether someone illegally took a shot at the animal, it does fall into a pattern Pond is noting.

“I don’t think we’re seeing any more (poaching) than in previous years, but I think the quality of the animals people are poaching is up,” he speculates. “Seems like fewer calls, but more for trophy animals.”

Earlier this week, we highlighted the cases of more than two dozen deer and elk killed illegally in recent weeks in Oregon and Washington.

Speaking to the shooting of four elk in a remote area near Arctic, Wash., WDFW Deputy Chief Mike Cenci could only speculate yesterday to the poacher or poachers’ motivations: “I think it was someone who wanted to see a lot of animals die.”

Anyone with information on what happened to the Crooked River Ranch buck is being asked to call OSP’s Bend office at (541) 388-6213 or the T.I.P line at (800) 452-7888.